


Adventures in The Five Galaxies

by tuanpark



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe - Aliens, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Han Jisung | Han is Whipped, Humor, Kim Seungmin is an Alien, M/M, Made-up Vocabulary, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:55:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26621749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tuanpark/pseuds/tuanpark
Summary: “You house strange creatures,” Seungmin commented, walking along with hands behind his back like one would in a museum. “Such as this organism! It has not taken a break from its ceaseless clicking. I have not heard of such life forms residing on Earth.”“That's because that's no organism," Jisung snorted. "It's a clock.”Or Seungmin is an alien that comes down to Earth to study its people and ends up in Han Jisung's house.
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Kim Seungmin
Comments: 47
Kudos: 251
Collections: Seungmin-Centric Ficfest





	Adventures in The Five Galaxies

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> Please don't let the alien theme put you off!
> 
>   
> _Prompt #98:_
> 
> _Seungmin is an alien from space and he comes down to earth to study its people and land. He comes across a gorgeous human that fits his criteria for life partner. He decides to do what humans do and “court” them._
> 
> To the prompter, this work is my baby. This piece was _so fun_ to write! Really great prompt. I was smiling while writing this the whole time. I really hope you like it!
> 
> To the mod(s), thank you so much for your work! Without you, this fest would not be possible. So thank you to the moon and back!

Purpose.

What was the purpose of purpose?

Did he have a sense of purpose? If so, how did he discover it? If not, how could he find it? Was it something to be found or something to be actively pursued?

These were the thoughts that plagued Han Jisung as he collapsed on his bed, limbs extended like a starfish. Perhaps his purpose was to be a starfish.

The sky had darkened to a midnight blue. Outside, fireflies had sprouted from their homes, lighting up the evening in bright little dots like a night sky right here on the ground. Up above, a full moon ascended from the horizon, waking up just as the sun got ready to sleep. Stars were always difficult to observe due to the too-bright city lights, but they were still there, twinkling for themselves even if they were invisible to people down below. Jisung was one of them, a city boy from down below. Cities themselves were stellar, which made them not suitable for stargazing.

Sighing, he wished he could explore the night sky and its billion-trillions of stars. Jisung had just finished his readings for Psychology, something about purpose and how to find it. He wondered why he even needed this class when he majored in Astrophysics, but being a student among thousands in a gigantic university made his voice nonexistent.

He had read about how isolation and loss of purpose are correlated. How decades had been spent researching the way long-term, substantive goals nurtured a sense of purpose. And how this purpose was adjustive in a phylogenetic sense, evolving from people’s connection to others. Which indicated that a crisis of purpose was often a symptom of isolation.

It was true, Jisung considered. Oftentimes, he felt isolated to the whole world. His parents were filthy rich with a capital F, the kind of filthy rich that never felt obligated to say yes to any entity. The kind of filthy rich that was never home or attended the events their son was featured in. The kind of filthy rich that bought their child a large house a district away from his university just so he would be away from all the low-to-upper class students in fear of having their son tainted by middle-class mediocrity.

Despite this, or perhaps because of it, Jisung studied extensively in college. He wanted his success to be a sign of hard work, not of connections and wealth. This type of dedication was rarely seen in people, and with it came along the love of knowledge. Jisung had always been a bright boy with a bright mind, but was always overshadowed by the empire of wealth his parents had constructed from _their_ parent’s empire of wealth. This thirst for knowledge was nearly insatiable, and it showed in childhood when Jisung would ask his maid what the moon was made out of. In high school when he tried to calculate the number of stars that existed in the Milky Way. And now, in college, as he stretched on his bed and thought of the infinite number of Jisungs in the infinite number of universes. He assumed they would all be studying right now.

What never crossed his mind, however, was that in this infinite pool of Jisungs, only he would be the one to meet an actual, real-life alien.

Which was why he started freaking out when the atmosphere became thick. The hair on Jisung’s arm rose as he felt the atmospheric pressure begin to climb, the weight of it gradually pushing him down to the bed until he couldn’t move a muscle. What the shit? A crescendo of low whirring had infiltrated the house until it reached supersonic levels. Jisung couldn’t even lift his arms to cover his ears. The temperature became unbearably hot. A second of an ear-splitting screech. He couldn’t breathe. He was about to faint from it all when suddenly, nothing.

The air grew still. If he focused, he could see particles suspended in the air, like they were in a medium with no gravity. Temperature slinked back to normal as the pressure instantly dissipated.

A creak.

A shake of the glass windows.

Did the house just shudder? He was breathing lungfuls now. What the fuck just happened?

Just as he was starting to calm down, a crash resounded from downstairs. Eyes wide, Jisung ran to the closet and drew out a baseball bat with shaky hands. Was there an intruder? Did someone break into the house? Holy fuckballs, was this how he was gonna die?

Swallowing, Jisung took careful steps down the stairs, making sure his feet made as little sound as possible. He held his breath with each fall, knew that his heavy breathing would be a dead giveaway to his location. When he finally touched the first floor, Jisung heard a rattle of metal in the kitchen. A raccoon? A stray cat, perhaps?

He nervously made way to the kitchen, readying his bat as he crossed the hallway and peeked at where the noise came from. There was a robed man in his kitchen. Oh fuck. _There was a robed man in his kitchen._ Was he ready to commit murder today? It could be argued as self-defense, right? What if he was given lifetime imprisonment? No, his parents wouldn’t allow that.

The robed figure was pacing back and forth, holding a piece of document as one would a map. Except, when the lights hit it at the right angle, Jisung could see the graphic lines that made up the paper, almost as if... Wait a minute. Was the map… a hologram? He didn’t need to wait for the answer as the man pressed a button on his watch and the piece of paper evaporated into thin, luminescent lines, crisscrossing before ultimately disappearing into nothingness.

Was that some advanced gadget shit? Like from NASA? Goodness. Jisung stared down at his wooden bat. Man, he was severely under-equipped to take this guy head-on if it came to physical combat.

“I can sense your presence,” the man said suddenly. His voice was thin and nasal, but it sliced through the air like a knife on butter. “You may come out if you wish. I mean no harm.”

Nope. No way. That was what they always said to lure you out. He wasn’t some pea-brained side character in an action film. He was going to stay put and be on the defensive, thanks.

“I bear no weapon on me if that is what worries you.”

That had to be a lie. What else would the multifunctional gadget on his wrist be if not a weapon?

“I come in peace,” the robed man declared, not moving from where he stood.

Because _that_ made it all better. Why else would he be here if not to break into Jisung’s house and steal from him? Jisung’s grip on the bat tightened.

“Please.”

Shitballs. Jisung had always been easily influenced by people who used that stinking word. Maybe it was because he was compassionate to those his parents fucked over with the multi-billion won business they created. Maybe he was simply attuned to his emotional intelligence, knowing when to act up or stand down. Or maybe he was just naturally empathetic to others, despite their background.

Jisung almost snorted. It was definitely the one about his parents. Well, if he dies, he dies. Sighing, he cautiously entered the kitchen and flicked the lights on. Instantly, the surrounding was illuminated in bright white.

The figure was tall. Or, well, taller than Jisung anyway. He wasn’t sure if it was the trick of the light since his pupils had adjusted to the dark, but there was something off about the man. Jisung was almost certain that he was more than meets the eye.

“Greetings,” the man said brightly. He did not smile, but the sound of the smile was evident in his voice. How was that possible? “It seems I have made a blunder. Please, do not be alarmed. I carry no ill-will to you and your kind.”

You and your kind? Oh, fuck. Was he from the North?

“S-Stay back,” Jisung warned. He was half impressed that he only stuttered once during his warning. “Don’t move or I will call the cops.”

“Please,” the person tried once more. “I offer no danger, only peace and knowledge.”

At this Jisung perked up. Knowledge? Jisung really shouldn’t let his guard down, but he could already feel the fight incrementally seeping out of him.

“Do not be alarmed. I am what your race would consider an extraterrestrial.”

Jisung almost choked. Did he just say what Jisung thought he said? His brain backpedaled to today’s event. No, he had no alcohol intake today. His friend, Mary Jane, was untouched this whole week, nor did he consume any edibles before studying. He didn’t even unlock the bag of shrooms or the packet of molly that he received for his birthday.

Then… why the hell was he tripping? Was he hallucinating? Jisung gulped. Unless?

“Th-That can’t be true,” he forced out, pointing the bat at the creature now, like a blade or a sword of sorts. Dear god, his muscles were failing him. “Aliens don’t visit Earth. That d-doesn’t make sense. Who are you?!”

“Why do you not believe my words when the truth is right in front of you?”

Jisung scoffed. Was he being pranked? Oh, that was definitely it.

“Hahaha! Good job, Bang Chan! You can come out now. Even using my interest in space, how ingenious. You almost had me there. A+ prank, my dude. I’m sure you’ve had a good laugh, step up from your hiding place.” It was difficult for Jisung to swallow, but he tried nonetheless. “Come out… Please?”

“What is a Bang Chan?” The other person asked calmly.

Okay. So maybe he wasn’t being pranked. Then could it really be? But the chances of this happening were, quite literally, astronomical. As eager as Jisung was to engage with the alien, he was also equally terrified to be abducted. Was any of that shit real?

“And if I were to believe you were an extraterrestrial, what then?” Jisung challenged, coming closer but careful to keep his distance. “You gonna take me to your spaceship? You gonna experiment on me to study the human race?”

Jisung would probably agree to it, actually, if only to befriend his captors and know more about their race. He’d be one of the few, or perhaps the only one, to see with the naked eye creatures whose homes do not belong on Earth. Jisung wouldn’t mind learning about them. After all, he had no place here.

“Why must Earthlings be so predictable?” The alien gave him a deadpan look. If Jisung were to be truthful, he didn’t really have many facial expressions. Or any, in fact. “We do not take your kind into our spaceship unless you give us permission to do so. And we do not need to experiment on human beings to study the human race. That is completely barbaric and considered an act of war between The Five Galaxies.”

“War?”

“Indeed. Worry not. I have no intention of sparking another great, intergalactic war.”

Another? Intergalactic? Did that mean that this alien was from a neighboring galaxy? How would that even be possible? The closest galaxy was thousands of lightyears away. Even if they did somehow trigger an intergalactic war, there was no way both parties would be able to combat each other from such distances. That was baloney.

“That’s… reassuring.” If that was the case, then maybe it would be okay for Jisung to entertain the alien for a bit? After all, how many more chances will he have to interact with aliens? Like, legit, literal aliens. “You won’t blast me to smithereens if I approach, will you?”

“My reaction will depend on your intent.”

Jisung nodded, lowering down the bat without letting go. “Then- Then we should have nothing to worry about.”

A sense of stillness pervaded the room as Jisung took a few steps closer before they circled each other slowly. Fascinating, Jisung thought. Now that he had a closer look, this self-proclaimed extraterrestrial looked almost human. _Almost._ Despite having no eyebrows, his facial features were nearly identical to a human. Even if his lips were a little too thin, the slope of his nose was too attractive to be considered alien. His pupils were large and impossibly black. 

Jisung could almost say he was handsome… Did that mean he harbored some freaky alien kink? Naaah. This being had no tentacles!

His skin was pale and pasty. Jisung wondered if it would feel soft like dough or hard and smooth like marble. He nearly reached out to touch but caught his own hand before it got too close. As curious as he was, there was no way of knowing what would happen if they made contact. A chemical reaction, perhaps? Will Jisung’s skin melt like it was doused in hydrochloric acid? Will his fingers break out in boils? Oh, he wanted to know.

Jisung stared at what little of the alien’s legs could be seen, at the four little toes protruding from what he assumed were his feet. It was difficult to decipher what exactly was underneath the large cloth that flowed around his body, but Jisung was sure the alien was humanoid. After all, the arms at his side were only slightly longer than Jisung’s, five slender fingers relaxed by his thighs. His thin neck had a graceful avian curve to it. And while his neck was a little too small, his head was a little too big, rounded out at the top and hairless. The most alien thing about him was the occipital bone jutting from his skull like a helmet.

“What,” Jisung gulped. It was difficult to find his words. “What did you say your name was?”

The extraterrestrial blinked.

“S’eukrotzoplarklybong M’orzoikgaletoxaetin.”

Jisung bit his lip. Boy, was he wrong. Correction: his name was the most alien thing about him. He made a noise that Jisung could almost consider a laugh, if laughter were dry and humorless. There was a constipated smile on his face as he nodded and gestured for Jisung to try it.

“S-Sock crotch… Soo crotch-o...S-” Jisung crossed his arms. “Your name is pretty hard to pronounce.”

“Intriguing. I possess one of the shortest names in the M’orzoik Phylum. I suppose you may use S'eu'ng M'in if it is easier for your tellurian tongue.” He paused as if to think before adding, “You may drop the spaces and apostrophes to your liking.”

“Seungmin?” Jisung tried. And when the alien nodded, Jisung held out his hand in the Vulcan salute he saw on Star Trek and continued, “Greetings, Seungmin. My name is Han Jisung.”

The alien, _Seungmin,_ his brain reminded him, had nearly fallen over. “Oh! Oh my _globbip._ We have only just met!”

Jisung raised a brow. He was more confused than he had ever been. And he’d been confused a lot in his college career.

“Is it perhaps customary? And since I am a visitor of Earth, I suppose it would be unmannerly of me to not abide by your practices.”

Customary? Practices? What the heck was he blabbing on-

“No! Oh my god, no!” Jisung exclaimed, covering his eyes. Seungmin had undone his robe so that it now pooled by his feet. Jisung had closed his eyes quickly before he saw any dangly bits, thank god. Did aliens even have dangly bits? “What the hell?”

“Did you not present to me the Vulcan Gesture?”

Did the peace sign have a different meaning in other galaxies? What exactly did Jisung just express to the alien?

“Yes? But I thought it was a peace sign, you know? Like, from Star Trek?”

“The Vulcan Gesture is not an expression of peace but rather a symbol indicating an interest in sexual reproduction.”

“R-Reproduction?!” Jisung coughed, still covering his eyes. He was getting lightheaded. “N-No no no. I- No. Please, no alien sex. Put your clothes back on.”

The silence proved that Seungmin had not yet redressed. What was he waiting for? Jisung felt his knees ready to give in.

“You would not bear my offspring?”

The whole sentence nearly made Jisung cry. This whole situation was making him experience vertigo, and it was all because of fucking Star Trek. He kept a mental note to submit a very harsh written critique of it online. “I’m biologically unable to carry… offsprings. I’m asking again, please pick up your robes and cover yourself. And forget I ever did that sign, dear god.”

Rustling noises drifted from where Seungmin was.

“If that is what you wish.”

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ☆★☆ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

One of the worst disadvantages of having floor-to-ceiling windows was that Jisung could feel the heat literally burning him in the morning. Like usual, the sun had penetrated through the glass and was cooking him like an ant under a magnifying glass. Shit, he must have forgotten to close the blinds last night.

Yawning, Jisung got up and felt disoriented. Why was he in the living room? Did he fall asleep watching Netflix again? With deflated shoulders, Jisung dragged his feet to the corner and manually adjusted the blinds so that less sunlight filtered in. He watched with tired eyes the way the room grew dimmer and dimmer until the last ray of strong sunlight had vanished.

He really needed to get his parents to buy him automatic blinds, he thought as he plopped back down to the large couch. Noting the clock on the wall, Jisung figured he had another hour of shuteye before he had to get ready for university. He almost fell asleep again when the events of last night suddenly played in his mind in flashes.

A robed figure. Pale, pasty skin of an attractive extraterrestrial. The Vulcan gesture. The hell? Did he really meet a fucking alien? He snickered. _Yeah, right._ It seemed he had a very exciting, very vivid dream. He almost felt disappointed that the whole affair was manufactured by his imagination.

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ☆★☆ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Falling asleep and waking up always felt too short. It was almost like a time-lapse: so much information before you sleep and after you wake up. But unless you were dreaming, in between, there was nothing.

Jisung opened his eyes to the darkness of a black hole. Upon closer inspection, he realized that this was no galactic phenomenon but the dusky depth of someone’s pupils. 

“AAAHHH!” He was face-to-face with the alien from the previous night. Jisung pushed him as he backed away into the couch as much as he could.

“Aaahhh?” The alien, _Seungmin_ was it, vocalized.

“Wh-What are you doing?” Jisung tried swallowing but his throat was so dry. So last night had been real. An alien had appeared in his house yesterday. And the Vulcan salute… Oh, dear god. “We… We didn’t have alien sex, did we?”

On him were still his clothes from yesterday. A good sign.

“We did not engage in sexual intercourse,” Seungmin said resolutely, standing up and dusting off his cloak. Jisung released a sigh of relief. If that was the case, then-

“Why was I on the couch asleep?”

“You fell over. I caught you right before your head made contact with the floor. However, I could not identify the reason why, so I deposited you in what I had assumed was your resting place.”

Oh. That was actually… very thoughtful of him. Clearing his throat, Jisung rubbed the back of his head. “Uhh, thank you for that. That was really nice of you. You didn’t have to, but thank you.”

“It was no problem. Now, you owe your life to me.”

“WHAT?!” Jisung choked.

He made a hacking noise that Jisung supposed could be considered a dry chortle. “I kid.”

A burst of nervous laughter broke out from Jisung. Who knew aliens had a sense of humor?

“You house strange creatures,” Seungmin commented, walking along with hands behind his back like one would in a museum. “Such as this organism! It has not taken a break from its ceaseless clicking. I have not heard of such life forms residing on Earth.”

“That's because that's no organism," Jisung snorted. "It's a clock.”

Seungmin tilted his head in confusion.

“A clock is a mechanical device that shows you the time of the day.”

“Fascinating! A timepiece that is not connected to the body.”

Jisung blinked. Should he ask? Ah, fuck it. Just as he was about to inquire about how Seungmin’s timepiece was connected to his person, Jisung noted the time.

“1:08?! How is it so late already?!” Jisung launched himself from the sofa and hurried to his room. “I swear it was only 10 when I woke up. Oh god, Professor Park is going to kill me.”

A gasp erupted from behind him. “Murder?! For a late arousal?!”

Jisung shook his head. “No, it’s a form of expression, it’s not literal. I- Can you give me some space? I need to- I need to get...”

Should he even get ready? He couldn’t exactly leave the alien in his house, could he? And if he did, what would Seungmin even do? What if Jisung came back and found a gigantic hole where his house used to be? What if he came back and all of the world’s biggest organizations were surrounding his house? There were too many possibilities, not many of which Jisung favored.

Jisung pinched the bridge of his nose and collapsed back first onto his bed. What to do, what to do. He could always just keep the alien company until he finished what he came here to accomplish? But how long would that take? And did Seungmin even have business to do here? Jisung should really demand answers from him. An interview of sorts. Perhaps he could record Seungmin’s answers, but that would require his phone. Which is, where, exactly? The last time he had it last night, right-

“SEUNGMIN!”

“Earthling.”

“Wh- Was this you?” Jisung pointed at the remnants of what he assumed was his phone, face contorted in annoyance.

“Did you know you have a very emotive face?” The alien commented suddenly. Was he trying to change the subject?

“Thanks? I- Don’t change the subject! Did you do this?”

“Absolutely! While you were in a slumber, this creature began screeching. Worry not, I put it out of its misery before its deathly shriek could wake you prematurely. You are most welcome, Earthling.”

“I didn’t thank you. And that was mine, why would you do that?” Jisung growled, picking up the broken pieces of his phone. “Don’t touch my stuff.”

“I apologize. I did not know it was of importance to you. That was my mistake,” Seungmin said, hands in front of him as he backed away to the entrance of Jisung’s room. “Perhaps it might be best if we part ways.”

“No, wait,” Jisung called out. Darn his mouth for being faster than his brain. Seungmin hadn’t known what a phone was or what it did, or that the alarm was supposed to be a signal for Jisung to wake up. Though that still didn’t mean he had any right to touch Jisung’s stuff. “I’m sorry for shouting. And being a dick. You were probably just trying to help…”

The blank look on Seungmin’s face was disconcerting. “What is a dick?”

“Uhm,” Jisung began. He should really choose his words more carefully. “It’s another form of expression. I was apologizing for raising my voice and not being nice.”

Jisung set the damaged device on his nightstand, breathing in deeply to calm himself. He still wanted to learn more about the alien. Maybe he could offer Seungmin a place of residence for a short bit? Propose a bargain that is beneficial to both of them? But what did the alien even want?

He supposed there was only one way to find out.

“I think we started off on the wrong foot. Shall we start over?”

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ☆★☆ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Jisung didn’t know what extraterrestrials consumed. Did they feed off of living organisms? Were they content with digesting inanimate objects? Or had they developed a particular hunger for other galactic societies’ brain fluids? Jisung had no clue.

Perhaps something easily soluble? He obviously couldn’t give Seungmin kimchi jjigae and soondubu because that would just be ridiculous. Jisung settled on pancakes. Everybody loved pancakes.

And so it was that Jisung buttered up some golden fluff while his alien companion wandered around the house, inspecting most objects, and interrogating Jisung for said object’s purpose. For the most part, it felt like he was simply explaining functions to a nephew or something, considering how simple his comments were.

_Yes, Seungmin, that’s a house plant. No, I am not raising it like cattle for slaughter. Yes, it’s for decoration._

Seungmin was easily mesmerized by everyday gadgets as well, some of the more excitement-inciting ones being wires of house appliances.

_And these wires… they have current running through them? Fascinating._

Mirrors.

Once or ten times, he saw Seungmin jumping left and right of the hallway mirror, as if doing it enough times would result in his reflection being absent.

_Do you not have mirrors?_

_We have no use for objects that instill false pride and an exaggerated sense of self-importance._

And the kitchen faucet.

_And twisting this knob relieves enough pressure to allow for the distribution? Ingenious! Dihydrogen monoxide! Readily available at a moment’s notice._

When the pancakes displayed enough bounce and coated themselves in the perfect shade of gold, Jisung and Seungmin sat themselves on the table. He first showed Seungmin how to eat the pancakes, using a spoon to cut and feed himself since aliens probably had no background in chopsticks usage. Seungmin mimicked his movements, slowly slicing the hotcake, scooping it, and delivering it to his mouth.

Man, how was Jisung supposed to start this conversation?

A couple of bites in, Jisung asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I am confused. Was I not invited to take part in this meal?” Seungmin responded, paused to think, then added. “If you mean from the previous night… I inputted the wrong coordinates in my teleportation device, which has never occurred before. Generally, I put an incredible amount of value in precision, but it is most apparent that I have made a mistake in my Mathematics. A one-in-a-billion probability, I assure you.”

Jisung sighed. “Not _here_ here. Here, as in on Earth. What are you doing on Earth?”

“Ah! That is a more sensible question. I have been issued to study the minor lifeforms in your solar system,” Seungmin began. “Though I must admit even without the issuance, I might have visited your planet nonetheless. I have always been properly mystified by you Earthlings.”

“Why have you been issued to study humans?” Jisung suddenly felt nervous, hand tightening on his metal spoon. “Are you here to gain knowledge before you attack us?”

“Nonsense.”

“Where is your fleet? Are they in hiding?” Jisung’s spoon was now directed at Seungmin’s face. The alien simply pushed Jisung’s hand, the one gripping the rounded weapon, to the side. Oh, Seungmin’s skin was cold. No chemical reactions, then? Or boils? Not even an itch? Jisung was almost disappointed.

“Do not be ridiculous. I came here alone. I have no need for a fleet.”

“Say I believed you. How long will you stay here?”

“Here on Earth? Or here in your residence?”

Jisung bit his lip. “They don’t have to be two separate statements.”

Seungmin became silent. Participating in a staring contest with an extraterrestrial was not how he wanted this to go down. Why was Seungmin not answering? Did Jisung say something wrong?

“The length of my stay depends on a multitude of factors.”

“Ballpark, then?”

“If you mean to ask for an approximate, I would assume around 1 _zeydyr_.”

Was that supposed to be a measurement of time? “Can that be converted to the human time scale?”

Seungmin started punching symbols on his wristwatch. Exactly how many functions did this alien contraption possess? “1 _zeydyr_ is approximate to 0.78 months.”

“Well, that’s not very long, is it? There’s a fuck ton of things to study here.”

“It was a mere estimation.” Seungmin began cutting his pancake again. “Nothing in this universe is truly deterministic.”

Jisung smirked. His professor would like to disagree.

“How about we strike a deal?” Jisung suggested, feeling braver the more time he spends in Seugnmin’s presence. The alien nodded as if motioning Jisung to continue. “I suggest places- wait no, I’ll _take_ you to places where you can study minor lifeforms, and in return… and in return you take me to your spaceship for a little while.”

Jisung felt examined and picked apart from the way Seungmin was looking at him.

“And how long will you frolic in my vehicle?”

At this, Jisung couldn’t help but grin.

“The length of my stay will depend on a multitude of factors.”

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ☆★☆ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Save for the exams, Jisung had placed his whole scholastic life on hold. After all, this will _most definitely_ never happen again. Like, what were the chances of a legitimate alien literally materializing in his house? It’s so infinitesimal that it’s basically zero.

Which was why he was currently carrying a suitcase loaded with outfits suitable for all types of climate, ranging from tropical to dry and even to polar, on a Wednesday evening. Yes, that’s right. Evening. The first place he had in store for them would take more than 20 hours of traveling on a private jet.

“Twenty hours?” Seungmin gasped after converting the duration of travel. “That is precious time I am wasting not studying. This planet is relatively tiny. Assuredly, there is a more efficient way of traveling than your so-called private jet?”

Jisung almost took offense. His baby was one of the fastest jets in all of Korea. “Absolutely not. My Imperial Nitroplane is by far our quickest way of getting to our first destination.”

“Twenty hours is primitive. I could journey to the next galaxy in that amount of time.”

“Bullshit,” Jisung called out before looking over at the miniature model of his jet plane. “Don’t listen to him, I.N. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. You’re the best private jet ever.”

“Provide me the terminal coordinates, and I can teleport us to the designated location in 2 _zey_.”

“Tuesday?”

“2 _zey_ ,” Seungmin huffed. “0.82 seconds.”

Ah. “Coordinates? Like longitude and latitude?”

“Yes, that is manageable.”

“Well. It’s kind of big.”

“A range will do.”

Jisung sighed and looked up the spot on a trustworthy-looking website and spelled it out for him. As Seungmin began calculating those coordinates relative to everything else in the solar system, Jisung quickly changed to an outfit for rainforests. Sporting a sunhat, a plaid long-sleeve, and some baggy cargo pants, Jisung gave a twirl.

“Your scent has been modified,” was the first thing Seungmin said.

“I know. I am positively bathing in bug repellent,” Jisung complained. “You look ridiculous, by the way.”

Seungmin, who seemed to be wrapped in leather from neck to toe, scoffed. “This is my impregnable suit. I have no knowledge of where your coordinates will transport us, so I best be equipped for what challenges we may face.”

“Yes, whatever. Is it ready? Am I going to teleport like Abra? I can’t believe teleportation is legit. Show me, show me, show me,” Jisung clapped like a child as he stepped closer to Seungmin.

“First, you must grab onto me like so,” Seungmin commanded, tugging Jisung's arms and snaking it around his torso like they were in an embrace. “Do not let go.”

“What if I did?” Jisung joked.

“I assume your particles will be dispersed throughout this galaxy.”

Nope, definitely did not want that! Jisung gulped and tightened his grip. Under his palm were the ridges of Seungmin’s body. It did not budge the way Jisung thought it would, like dough to the pressure of a finger. In fact, his body felt nearly human, other than the coolness of his skin and the solid foundation that Jisung assumed were his bones. Seungmin’s skeletal system felt stronger than titanium.

“Tuck your head,” Seungmin said, pulling Jisung’s onto the crook of his neck. Nose pressed to where the alien collarbone should be, Jisung discovered that Seungmin smelled much like droplets of vanilla on lead. It was a very unusual combination. “It could lead to disorientation and nausea.”

The boy could do nothing but hum.

“Prepare yourself. We are temporarily dematerializing in 3, 2, 1-”

Oh, it was horrible.

While the sensation wasn’t painful, it carried an impression of a quick, indescribably painful death. Pure disintegration, hovering an inch from the skin. The fizzle of cells vaporizing into specks tinier than subatomic particles. Jisung had the feeling that any movement outward would cause his entire being to dissolve into the finest stardust.

And just like that night, a low whirring building up in a crescendo to a supersonic sound. The incredible amount of pressure forcing their molecules together. Temperature skyrocketing.

And then, nothing.

The atmosphere instantly enveloped him like he dove into a pool. Breathing was a challenge. What the shit? Once he was sure his feet were firm on the ground, Jisung quickly let go and bent over his knees, releasing the remnants of dinner his stomach acid had yet to break down. He had held onto Seungmin more tightly than he’d ever held _anything_ in his life. That had been a matter of life and death. How the fuck did Abra manage to do that every hour on the hour?

“I suppose this was to be expected. It takes a while getting used to.”

Goddamnit.

Jisung took some time to freshen up before introducing to Seungmin the location of their first expedition.

“Ta-da!” Jisung expanded his arms to present the beauty behind him. Despite it being the evening just a few minutes ago, they were now hidden under the cool shade of some tropical palm trees. Splotches of sunlight managed to break through the spaces between the branches, covering them and the surrounding in brilliant spots. Even through his thick hiking boots, Jisung could sense the warmth of the damp soil. The air was humid, thick and as moist as the land it blanketed. “Welcome to the Amazon Rainforest!”

Seungmin’s eyes were blown wide. His black irises zipped and zoomed at all directions, absorbing supernumerary information at a blinding speed.

“Oh my _globbip_! Are you a mental telepathist? The Amazon Rainforest is one of the destinations I was most anticipating,” He managed to huff. Seungmin hurried to the nearest palm tree and examined it closely. It was so close in fact that if a person happened to pass by them, they would conclude that Seungmin was kissing the tree. “This environment is brimming with life that our records have yet to discover. Communities of microorganisms, civilizations of bacteria. This is a biological datafield!”

Jisung bit his lip to refrain from smiling. “Careful, Seungmin. Looks like we’re in the deep center of the rainforest. This part of the Amazon probably isn’t very safe. Think of poisonous plants, venomous snakes, toxic frogs. And worst of all, mosquitoes.”

“Worry not,” Seungmin assured him, circling the tree like a predator to prey. “My gear is composed of elastic adamantium. No other material except for equipment generated from adamantium can penetrate it.”

Jisung grumbled to himself, “I wasn’t worried…”

“What?”

“I said, what about a jaguar bite? There are thousands of them in the Amazon. Strong, very vicious.”

“My gear is impenetrable, but it is also elastic. Its teeth may not puncture it, but my body may still succumb to the force of its bite.”

“Welp! We should keep an eye out for these large cats then.”

Seungmin nodded in agreement.

From then on, the trip consisted of Jisung and Seungmin examining bugs and plants, the alien muttering nonsensical words as he took notes on his wristwatch, before they moved onto the next. With their impossibly black eyes, Seungmin’s race did not require microscopes and would only need to stay unmoved for a couple of seconds for them to see a magnified vision of what they were looking at. 

Once or twice, Seungmin would ask Jisung questions about the ecology here, but Jisung would have no clue. He didn’t study the Amazon much and made a pact to himself to read up on the gigantic rainforest when they return. Similarly, Jisung would ask Seungmin questions. However, these topics were not at all related to the Amazon but pertained to Seungmin’s homeland and its inhabitants.

Sometimes, too, his questions would be a bit more personal, a bit more prodding. Jisung had a thirst for knowledge, after all. Though a great number of Seungmin’s answers made little sense, Jisung kept asking the questions all the same. Like now!

Jisung was confused. Did he hear that correctly? “You’re the what to the what what?”

“I am the seventh offspring of the Second Galactic General,” Seungmin rubbed his own arm as he said it. Jisung figured a detail like that sounded as if it required a good amount of conviction. “My birth giver is the Second Galactic General. Xe is one of the Five Major Generals of the Intergalactic Confederation. I would tell you what Branch we are but it is about ten thousand characters long. Have you not heard of Xem?”

Jisung shook his head. “Let’s just say specifics about aliens are not quite welcomed by the masses. The human race has more of a… fear-of-the-unknown mindset.”

Seungmin pouted. Or at least, Jisung thought it was a pout? It was a very muted change in facial expression. “And you? Have you a fear-of-the-unknown mindset?”

“I’m here with you, aren’t I?”

Just then, an astonishingly blue butterfly fluttered in flashes between them and landed on the tree. It was larger than any butterfly Jisung had ever laid eyes on, perhaps with wings spanning nearly eight inches. As soon as it perched itself on the trunk, Jisung recognized what this was.

Seungmin’s hands covered his mouth. A stray thought, but the scene reminded Jisung of a child spellbound from absolute thrill after meeting their hero in person. His knees were practically shaking in excitement, his feet eager to move closer.

“It’s a butterfly!” Seungmin said softly, pointing at the winged bug. “I would like to learn more about it, but should I assume you have no knowledge of this magnificent insect as well?”

Deserved, Jisung thought. He hadn’t been able to provide Seungmin with good information, but that was all about to change.

“Wrong assumption,” Jisung smirked as Seungmin tinkered with his watch. “This is called a blue morpho butterfly. Very big, very bright. Since the top is bright blue and the bottom is a dull brown, it looks like it’s appearing and disappearing when it flies. Wingspan of about 5 to 8 inches, I don’t know how long that is in alien measurement.”

“Any information that is not fairly obvious to the common man?”

“Uhm. The vivid, iridescent blue hue is due to the light-reflective scales on the back of their wings,” Jisung continued. “On the underside, it’s brown with many eyespots to provide camouflage against predators when wings are closed. Like other butterflies, it has two antennae, two fore wings, two hind wings, six legs, and three body segments: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. And I’m sure that they, like most of the bugs and insects here, are threatened by deforestation and habitat fragmentation.”

Seungmin nodded his head and crossed his arms.

“Impressive.”

“I mean, I try. Obviously, I’m-” Some rustling. “-shhh, stay silent.”

A low growl.

Frozen, Jisung shakily whispered, “Did you hear that?”

Seungmin gave him a nearly imperceptible nod.

“It’s probably a jaguar,” Jisung claimed, hushed. “Let’s get out of here.”

Seungmin opened his arms, and Jisung cursed whatever gods were out there as he hesitantly hung onto the alien. This time, he tucked his head voluntarily into the curve of Seungmin’s neck.

“Do you need the coordinates?” Jisung’s question came out muffled.

“Not necessary,” Seungmin said decisively. “I never forget a coordinate.”

After a few clicks and beeps, Seungmin returned the embrace. “Ready, Earthling?”

Jisung grunted in response, his body tense as his mind counted three, two, one. He held his breath as the sensation of being pulled apart came over him. And like the other times, a low whirring evolving to a supersonic screech. The impossible weight of being compressed. A large spike in temperature.

And then, nothing.

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ☆★☆ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Showering was a grimy affair as Jisung let the hot water cleanse his skin. Dirt and other filth were washed out from him and now swirled down the drain. As the steam began to rise, he wondered if Seungmin needed to take showers. Probably, right? He should ask him later tonight. Or perhaps tomorrow.

Dinner had been tame and surprisingly uneventful. The only good thing Jisung could take away from it was that he was understanding more and more of his alien companion. One by one, Jisung was able to uncover more details about Seungmin.

“What do you even eat?” Jisung asked. “I need to know so I don’t accidentally poison you. Or cook something bland or lacking. I mean, not that I care. I just don’t want to be a murderer and accidentally be the catalyst to an intergalactic war.”

Seungmin blinked at him.

“My diet is anything organic.”

“Aliens have artificial chemicals, antibiotics, and genetically modified organisms?”

The tilt on Seungmin’s head was a good depiction of a confused canine. “Perhaps I should rephrase. My diet is anything carbon-based.”

“Oh, _that_ kind of organic.” Jisung felt sheepish all of a sudden.

“Yes. Generally substances composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. Calcium, sodium, and potassium are also recommended but not required,” Seungmin recited, as he walked around Jisung’s kitchen. He was barefoot again, wrapped in that dark, flowy robes he materialized in.

“So… basically all of our food?”

“Precisely.”

Despite this conversation, Jisung still made pancakes. Seungmin just really looked like a pancake kind of alien. And like before, Seungmin wandered around and re-examined most items, even revisited the hallway mirror to keep inspecting it.

During dinner, Seungmin had bragged about his findings, how this information would be important to the education of his people. And how his birth giver would be immensely proud of him for recording so much in just one day. He wanted to return perhaps another day once they had researched other locations, but that plan was still up in the air. Perhaps a region that wasn’t as moist as the one they visited, to maximize the pool of information Seungmin could gather. Also, they wouldn’t be so dirty. Which, speaking of-

“Do you need to take baths?”

“If you mean to wash myself, it is recommended. Like humans, we also fall ill from the acquisition of viruses and parasites. Of course, the most efficient process to keep ourselves unharmed by these infections is by manually removing them before they enter our bloodstream. And that is done through hydrotherapy.”

Jisung frowned. “Wait a minute. If you also take baths, then why were you so interested in my faucet?”

“It is not the dihydrogen monoxide that caught me by surprise, but that humans are allowed their own share of it. On our planet, the resources are communal.”

“Interesting.”

“Likewise.”

“I can show you how the shower works after we eat,” Jisung suggested.

After pancakes, Jisung showed him the bathroom. The door of the shower was clear glass, the tiles a shiny ivory. Inside the lower cabinets were spare towels, and Jisung took one out and demonstrated to Seungmin how to use it.

“We have drying cloths on our home planet, Earthling.”

“Just making sure,” Jisung shrugged. He then pointed at the toilet and explained, “This is where you urinate, defecate, all that good stuff. To flush it, just press this little knob right here.”

Seungmin’s eyes widened when water began to form a vortex before forcing itself down the drain.

“And it does not contaminate the pathways?”

“Nope! The waterways are composed two systems, one that the brings freshwater in and another that transports water out,” he explained before opening the glass doors of the bathtub. “And here is the shower. You pull this, cold water will come out. You pull this, hot water will come out. You pull both, you get warm water. When you’re finished, just push it like this. Any questions?”

“None!”

Jisung released a sigh of relief. “If that’s the case, I’ll leave you to it.”

As he turned to leave, Seungmin made a squawking sound. “Hold on. You mean to say we do not partake in hydrotherapy together? How come? It is more therapeutic when more bodies are present.”

Jisung blushed. The cultural differences were astounding. “Uhh, here on Earth, people don’t take showers together unless they’re in a relationship. Being naked like that in front of someone… it's usually reserved for people who are romantically involved.”

“Nudity is natural. You Earthlings and your silly customs.”

“Right. I’ll just-”

Jisung scurried back to his room, plopping onto his bed and relieving a sigh. He let himself ruminate for second before huffing and opening tabs upon tabs about the Amazon Rainforest. After all, he made a promise to himself. 

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ☆★☆ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

They were by the Nile River when Jisung almost died.

Okay, no, that was a big exaggeration, but it could have been lethal if Seungmin wasn’t so observant and things had gone wrong.

Jisung was skipping stones by the river bank. The sky held an orange, afternoon glow that looked perfect on the Egyptian sky. The alien was bent down by the water, examining closely the water plants that were growing there.

“It’s so nice being able to teleport,” Jisung said as he picked up another smooth-looking rock and blew the sand off it. “I love exploring like this.”

At this, Seungmin perked up. “I see. Would you say that you are driven by curiosity?”

Jisung thought it over, tossing the stone up and down. Was it curiosity or just hunger for wisdom? Perhaps it was both. “I guess? I mean. I’ve always been eager to know more, and I think the pursuit of wisdom depends directly on curiosity… So I suppose yes, I am driven by curiosity. By extension.”

Seungmin nodded, noting something in his wristwatch again. He was definitely up to something.

“Why do you ask?” Jisung wondered. A gust of wind whistled about, ruffling the leaves that were susceptible to it.

“I have a particular affinity for people who exhibit a sense of curiosity,” Seungmin answered. “They are, as your people would call it, _cool_.”

Did Seungmin just call him cool? Was this what flirting with an alien was like? Was he supposed to flirt back? Jisung had no clue. He figured, nobody in this world probably had a clue, not even the people who know about the existence of extraterrestrials. Which, now that Jisung had thought about it, he realized he hadn’t asked Seungmin who on Earth had knowledge of their existence.

“I appreciate that,” Jisung smiled, skipping the stone on the Nile. The stone had made seven fantastic hops before ultimately sinking into the longest river on Earth. “So, tell me more about this Five Galaxies thing. Who are in it?”

Seungmin straightened himself as Jisung approached him. He was wearing the same stupid elastic gear he wore on their trip to the Amazon. Jisung had to admit, his figure was very similar to that of an attractive man’s.

“In our sector exists an Intergalactic Confederation that is checked and balanced by The Five Galactic Generals. And there are Five Major Generals because there exist five galaxies in our Sector -- your galaxy is one of them.”

“The Milky Way?” 

“Indeed,” Seungmin said as he crouched back down. This time he analyzed a large rock that had embedded itself onto the bed of the river bank. “Milky Way. That is a very eccentric name for a galaxy. You Earthlings are hilarious.”

“What are the other galaxies called?”

“We utilize a different naming system. The First Galaxy is PGC 50- G 5047. The Second Galaxy is ESO 56- G 115. The Third Galaxy is DSP 45+ G 216, The Fourth is SVS 30- G 005. And the Fifth is SBC 58+ G 552. The Fifth is your galaxy, the Milky Way,” Seungmin said all this while digging around the large rock. Remembering all the numbers and letters would have made Jisung dizzy.

“And yours? You mentioned you’re the seventh offspring of the Second Galactic General, so I assume you’re from the Second Galaxy?”

Seungmin stopped what he was doing and stood up once more. “That is correct. Second Galaxy, ESO 56- G 115. Earthlings call it The Large Magellanic Cloud. It is no cloud. It is a gigantic cluster of cosmic matter, so big it spans twenty thousand _kloplit zeyaik_!”

“Twenty thousand clop lit zay ache? What’s a clop lit zay ache?”

“It is near equivalent to what tellurians call a light-year, the distance light travels in one year.”

Jisung kicked at the soil, searching for stones with good skip-pability. “Your galaxy is quite large, isn’t it? If it takes twenty thousand light-years to get from one side to the other… How do you even communicate? How did you even get here?”

Seungmin let out a snickering noise, though his face was nearly impassive. “There is no particle or entity physically faster than light. The speed of light in a vacuum approached velocities we can only dream of. But our means of travel cannot have a measured velocity. After all, we do not create nor own a physical path from one point to another. Instead, we fold the very fabric of the space-time continuum so that we may enter one coordinate and exit another.”

Jisung was staring at him now, mesmerized. This is insane. This is actually insane. And the Earth knew about this? Oh god, what else had the international association of countries hidden from public knowledge?

“Does Earth- Is the Fifth Galactic General an Earthling?” Please no. Please don’t say that the American president is the Galactic General.

“No, they are not from Earth, specifically. However, the current National Aeronautics and Space Administrator of Earth should know Xem.”

Jisung gasped. “NASA?! Wait, yeah, of course, NASA would know. They’re NASA.”

He was so deep in thought now. So many details had been omitted from the education of the regular folks. So many secrets had been kept under the rug. How could Jisung trust the government now, when it was obvious that they were raising its inhabitants to be docile, mindless creatures oblivious to the whole truth. He-

“Earthling,” Seungmin called out. The alien’s voice carried a tone that made the hairs on the back of Jisung’s neck stand. “Earthling, do not be alarmed.”

Jisung swallowed. Saying that will undoubtedly make him alarmed. What the shit was going on? 

Turning to Seungmin, Jisung whispered, “What the shit is going on?”

There was a momentary pause before the alien answered, “Earthling, do you trust me?”

A shaky nod. “I trust you.”

“Alright. Do not scream, but on the shore behind you rests a crocodile-

“A CROC-” Jisung stopped himself from shouting, in case he alerted the crocodile. He did not dare move. His knees felt weak, and he was certain if he stood a minute longer, he would collapse. Slowly looking back, he saw that it was there. And it was big. It was rough-looking and frightening. Then, with unsteady whispers, “Wh-What do I do?”

“Come to me, but make as little noise as possible.”

“I can’t- I can’t do that,” Jisung’s voice quivered. “I can’t move.”

“Earthling, come.”

Rooted to the ground, Jisung watched as Seungmin’s eyes grew larger.

“Jisung,” the alien called. Jisung heart rate picked up. A rustling of dried grass and the wet sound of something dropping shook Jisung to the core. “Now!”

With what little adrenaline his body pumped into him, Jisung pushed off from the spot and sprinted towards Seungmin’s open arms. Behind him were clear, heavy thumping. The crocodile was getting closer. It was coming in quick. Jisung, uncertain of the future, closed his eyes and ran until he collided with Seungmin’s person. Instantly, Seungmin enveloped him with both of his arms before the feeling of weightlessness took over him.

From below he heard a resounding _snap_ that he was almost positive was made by the crocodile. He took a chance to open his eyes and saw the crocodile attempting and failing to stand on its hind legs. Every so often, it would open its mouth and snap up at them with its dark- green snout.

Wait. Snap… _up_? And then it dawned on him. They were nearly six feet up in the air. What the shit?

“Why are we floating? Are we dead? Am I dead? Are we in limbo stuck between heaven and hell?”

“We are levitating, Jisung,” Seungmin calmly explained to him. Jisung’s heart sped up again, half because of the suspense and half because that was the second time in thirty seconds that Seungmin had used his real name instead of Earthling. And while he started to grow fond of the nickname, there was something in the way that Seungmin enunciated it which made it sound like a song.

“I want to ask, but I would rather just go home,” Jisung managed between the carnal chomping from the crocodile. “Teleport us back as soon as possible, please, please, please.”

Seungmin tightened his hold on Jisung. “If that is what you wish, then do not let go.”

Jisung maneuvered them so that his arms were now hooked around Seungmin’s neck, his head burrowed in the crook there. 

A couple of clicks. “Ready?”

Jisung hummed and counted down. Three, two, one.

He felt himself being conceptually ripped to pieces. And like before, there was a crescendo of a low whir to a screech. Then he was held down by pressure before the temperature skyrocketed.

And then, nothing.

Back home, Jisung collapsed on the couch as soon as they materialized. It smelled of vanilla and something metallic. Seungmin was instantly by his side.

“That was dumbass scary,” Jisung admitted, hands planted over his heart. “I'm surprised you didn’t let out a scream.”

“I do not know how to scream. It is not in our nature to do so, therefore I have never been taught,” Seungmin responded. Though he did not scream, Jisung thought he could feel a spike in the alien’s heartbeat. Or had they always been so different? “Will you teach me?”

That was not what Jisung expected after a life-or-death situation. Right about now, to thank the person who saved his life, Jisung would grant any request to the best of his abilities.

“Yes, sure.”

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ☆★☆ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

The next couple of weeks rolled by in the same fashion, but this time, Seungmin and Jisung found research locations that did not invoke an unnecessary amount of danger. Too many times had they encountered jaguars and crocodiles in their research days. And they quite fancied having their outsides out and their insides in, thank you very much! 

And like most like a moth to a flame, Seungmin would stick with Jisung throughout the day. Somehow, they had unspokenly arranged a routine which they followed closely. Where Jisung would wake in his bed only to find that the alien had already been awake on the couch and waiting for Jisung’s arousal. What the shit? Did aliens even sleep?

Jisung would then make them breakfast, but contrary to Seungmin’s belief, he did know more recipes that were decidedly not pancakes. And so during this period of the day, Jisung would take out his arsenal and prepare some good food. Since Koreans generally ate similar foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this proved to be an easy feat. Jisung would prepare some soups and stews for breakfast, like haejangguk and galbitang, along with meat-based dishes, like bulgogi and samgyeopsal. Seungmin had developed a natural liking to the pork belly and would happily munch on it during their morning meals. Untouched were his red soups.

“It is not that my gastrointestinal acids cannot break down the contents of the soup,” Seungmin had explained. “But rather my lips experience an unpleasant burning sensation that I am not fond of.”

“So baby can’t take spicy foods?” Jisung would tease.

Seungmin would sigh tiredly, as if dealing with Jisung required an enormous amount of patience. “Apologies. Salts and spices are not so abundant on my home planet.”

And then during the better part of the day, Jisung and Seungmin would go on their expeditions, half of which were spent genuinely studying the history and life forms of Earth and half on getting to know each other. Though if Jisung were to be honest, it was mostly him who would ask questions. 

One of the many things Seungmin explained was how he was able to levitate. Apparently, it was a biological skill available to any of the inhabitants of his home planet.

”Our race can engage about 87% of our brain,” he had said. “Much more efficient than humans who utilize about 10%. It allows us to store enormous amounts of information and data in our memory, exhibit a more precise control over our body parts, and levitate.”

Jisung wanted to roll his eyes. “I’m pretty sure you just called me stupid. But I’m gonna let this one slide because you helped save my life.”

Another was why exactly Seungmin had four toes.

“I possess five as the humans of Earth,” Seungmin claimed. “However, throughout innumerable generations, our tiny, fifth toe had gradually but certainly lost its purpose. And through evolution, it had become littler and littler until it was nothing but a minor bump on our feet.”

“I wonder if human beings will experience the same evolution.”

“Highly probable,” Seungmin answered. “But worry not, Earthling. It will not occur in this lifetime. This was a process that required hundreds of thousands of _zeyaik_.”

And other extraterrestrials.

"No, not all of them are humanoid. Our kind and other humanoids evolved from land organisms and were the first to possess intelligent speech, extraordinary brains, and a larger emotional capacity. Ichthyoids evolved from water creatures and became the superior race on their planet. It is the same with the avianoids and the reptiloids."

In those same weeks, Seungmin and Jisung had visited the Great Wall of China and walked several kilometers before getting tired and teleporting back. There was not much there other than the walls that protected and consolidated the territories of Ancient China from its northern invaders. Jisung had begun talking about its history, and though Seungmin had already studied it, he did not interrupt Jisung’s teaching until the end.

On one of the more boring weekdays, they tried their shot at the pyramids of Giza. The Giza Necropolis was a site that was unlike any other. The sun was blistering that day, and there were a ton of tourists. Fortunately, Jisung had the grand idea to dress Seungmin up as an ordinary human person.

“No,” the alien protested. “I will not. I refuse.”

Jisung pouted. “But Seungmin! People will see you. And then they’ll ask questions. And then someone’s gonna find out you’re an alien. You’ll get captured, and I’ll be thrown in international prison or something!”

Much to his discontent, Seungmin had no choice. In the end, Jisung managed to wrestle onto him an ugly, plaid button-up and cargo shorts. Jisung had a near-matching outfit, and both had worn a sun hat to boot. The largest difference was that Jisung had sported large shades while Seungmin was forced into fake, fashion-forward glasses.

Similar to the Great Wall of China, Seungmin had already studied the Giza Pyramid Complex. He did not interrupt Jisung when he read off of the Wikipedia page exactly which sub-locations were included in the site. Nor did he interject when Jisung recited facts from his phone about how The Great Pyramid and the Pyramid of Khafre were the largest pyramids in Ancient Egypt, and how the Giza Pyramid Complex is the oldest of the Ancient Wonders and the only one still in existence.

“If you had already known, why didn’t you stop me?” Jisung had questioned him after the end of his lecture. “Now, I look like a fool.”

“You looked no such thing,” Seungmin argued, patting him on both shoulders with both hands. O...kay?. “And besides, I had no intention of disrupting your flow. You were exerting so much effort, it was a joy to watch.”

“Whatever…” Jisung grumbled, rubbing the place where Seungmin had patted him.

Seungmin had then gone off to study the size and chemical makeup of the sands in the desert. He also encountered a few bugs and animals near the site that he had yet to record. Later that day, Jisung researched online their next destination and memorized some bizarre facts about it.

They had traveled far and wide in just the span of a couple of weeks. Most recent was the expedition to the Antarctic South Pole where they studied the penguins, seabirds, and other organisms common only in the poles.

“Fascinating,” he had exclaimed, throwing a lifeless fish at a flock of flightless birds. “So these penguins, some of them mate for life?”

“Absolutely,” Jisung had confirmed. “Only some, not all!”

“I wonder how they attract a lifelong mate.”

At this Jisung perked up. “The myth is that a penguin would present another penguin the smoothest pebble from the shoreline. And if the penguin accepts, then they are mated for life.”

Jisung watched the penguins fight over the fish while Seungmin took notes on his wristwatch.

After dinners, Jisung and Seungmin would take their respective baths alone. It was reasonable considering Jisung’s residence had full bathrooms on both floors. They made very little contact during the evenings as Jisung would hole up in his room and study for his upcoming exams or catch up on homework in classes that required it. He was not shooting for straight A’s, but he was definitely trying his best not to fail the classes he’d missed all semester.

Seungmin, on the other hand, would organize his notes in little folders and make sure that there weren’t any unnecessary noises in the vocal records and stray words in the written notes. So far, he had compiled a large rolodex of information and data on some of the plants and microorganisms that inhabit the Earth. Once in a while, he would also search the interweb for questions he needed answers for.

On the weekends, would be their rest days. One could only conduct so much research and store information before one gets undeniably drained. So it had been for Han Jisung, who on the third weekend of research, did not get up to make breakfast.

His punishment was none other than Seungmin’s cooking.

After the trip to the Pyramids, Seungmin had begun using Jisung’s clothes at home and in public. Today, he clothed himself in some basketball shorts that would have been long on Jisung but barely reached Seungmin’s knees. He wore a plain, white shirt but his torso was covered by one of Jisung’s large, gray hoodies. If Seungmin wasn’t bald, then Jisung was sure he could pass for a regular college student. Perhaps a beanie could hide it?

Right now though, he looked more like Jisung’s personal maid with how the apron was fitted on his body. Seungmin had pulled him into a chair as soon as he noticed Jisung was standing by the kitchen doorway.

“You are awake!” Seungmin remarked with glee. “This is most delightful. I have prepared a wonderful meal for us!” 

Bits of flour had fallen to the floor. A thoroughly charred piece of… something… was resting near Seungmin’s feet. A box of cereal had been opened, and some of its contents were scattered on the counter next to the stove. From what Jisung could see, it looked like Seungmin had cooked some pancakes, though _cook_ was a definite understatement. Incinerated, more like. Jisung was amazed to realize that the fire alarm did not go off.

He managed not to grimace as Seungmin set down a plate and a bowl of whatever he cooked.

“It’s… It looks tough,” Jisung observed, flipping the pancake with his chopsticks. He had never burnt a pancake this badly before, to the point where the hotcake resembled a black hole. Seungmin was watching him expectantly. Was Jisung supposed to enjoy this? On the bowl were scorched pieces of what seemed to be cereal. Did Seungmin heat the cereal on the stove as well? Jisung simply shook his head and decided to deal with it later. Instead, he focused on psyching himself up to consume what Seungmin had prepared. After all, it would be rude of him if he just… threw Seungmin’s work in the garbage.

Jisung realized eating the pancake, or even tasting it, was a huge mistake as he took a tiny bite of the burnt food. Surprisingly, Jisung had never eaten charcoal, but this is what he assumed charcoal would taste like. The bitterness was overwhelming. A bite broke the cake into a million different pieces. Each move of the mouth made crunching sounds, and if the singed bits were wet enough, they would make home on Jisung’s molars or stick themselves in the crevices between Jisung’s teeth. At least it was still edible, right? “This is… mmm! Mmmph! Mmm, this is… special!”

Jisung fetched a glass of water. His throat was dry as shit. It felt as if he just swallowed several kilograms of ash. “Why did you cook again?

“You were sleeping so soundly, and I did not want to wake you. I could not help but notice you have not had the most effective sleep pattern lately.”

He supposed that was nice. Nonetheless, Jisung told himself that he would stabilize his sleeping pattern just so he wouldn’t have to suffer through this again.

It took some time, but Jisung was able to finish the plate that Seungmin gave him, only for the alien to gasp at the empty platter. “Done? So quickly? Are you satiated? I am still able to prepare some more if you are not satisfied.”

Jisung shook his head quickly. “NO! No, uhh, it’s cool, it's cool! It's all good. I’m so full! Thanks a lot, Seungmin. I definitely appreciate your... extraodinary pancakes. And your special bowl of cooked cereal.”

“Very well! I am happy.”

Jisung gulped as it hit him. He was willing to lie over and over just to hear Seungmin say that again.

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ☆★☆ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

It wasn’t until a few days after that terrible morning did Jisung have to leave Seungmin alone. 

Jisung had woken up feeling heavy today, and even more so when he listened to Seungmin excitedly talk about today’s adventure to Machu Picchu over breakfast. Jisung couldn’t bring himself to interrupt Seungmin. However, it seemed like he didn’t need to because Seungmin did it for him.

“Has something bothered you, Earthling?” Seungmin asked, pushing away his plate of breakfast and sitting by Jisung’s side.

“I can’t come with you to explore today,” Jisung confessed. Seungmin made a muted frown with his face.

“Was it my enthusiasm about your historical landmark? Many of my people, they too would respond weakly when I engage with them a topic that I am much too exhilarated to talk about and they harbor little interest in. My excitement did not put you off, did it? I am able to tone it down, if that is what you require.”

“No, no,” Jisung turned to him quickly. He didn’t want Seungmin to get the wrong idea. “That’s not the reason I’m not going with you today. I’m always interested in what you have to say. Always. _Especially_ when it’s a topic that you wanna talk about.”

Seungmin’s eyes were bright despite being impossibly black as he said, “And you are being honest?”

“Absolutely honest. I swear. Cross my heart.”

Seungmin gave him an awkward smile. “If it is not something I said, is it perhaps something I did?”

Jisung shook his head vigorously. “No, no, you've done nothing wrong.”

“Then why do you choose to not accompany me?”

Jisung sighed. “I gotta take this stinkin' test for my college class. Taking the test is mandatory for me to pass the class.”

Seungmin didn't seem to fully understand the concept of classes and university but nodded solemnly anyway. “And when will you finish?”

“When the small hand is at 3 and the big hand is at 12.”

"That is while, is it not?"

"True," but Jisung had an idea. He still had an hour to spare, two at most before he had to leave for college. "But we can still hang out before I go. Wanna go watch an episode of The Big Bang Theory?"

This seemed to elate Seungmin as he clasped his hands in front of him and nodded eagerly. And that was how they found themselves sitting side-by-side on Jisung's sofa, though in the weeks that passed, it had slowly turned into Seungmin's bed. As Jisung turned on the television and flipped to the correct show, Seungmin had gingerly rested his head on Jisung's shoulder.

God, Seungmin's skin felt unreal. So human but not at all warm. It had been a thing lately, where Jisung and Seungmin would casually partake in physical contact. A palm on the shoulders here for relaxation and a pat on the head there for a sign of affection. Head on a shoulder for support and a hand on the lower back for guidance. It had come easy for them, considering how they had to hug tightly whenever they had to teleport to another destination. One time, Jisung had even gone as far as taking Seungmin's hand in his, not for hand-holding purposes, but to examine the differences between his human fingers and Seungmin's alien ones. Jisung had concluded then that they were much of the same.

Later, when Jisung had embraced Seungmin goodbye, the alien enveloped him in a hug as well. However, this was the first time Seungmin had rested his head on top of Jisung’s.

Despite how cool Seungmin’s skin was, Jisung felt warm.

“Be safe,” Jisung told him.

“No guarantees.”

When Seungmin closed the door, everything felt long. The trek to the subway stop seemed to be in slow motion. Jisung felt more impatient than usual as he waited for the subway to appear. Even the ride to his university’s district, despite only being 20 minutes, felt more like 2 hours.

He wondered how many people had any knowledge of the existence of extraterrestrials, asked himself if he was the only one with a personal alien companion. His days had been so different ever since Seungmin quite literally materialized in his life, so much more fulfilling, so much more full of purpose.

On the way to class, Jisung passed by so many faces. Perhaps in another timeline, he knew of them. In another timeline, Jisung was a star student at Seoul University, passing his classes with flying colors all while being active in a couple of important clubs. In that timeline, Jisung’s purpose would be to have a successful college life. In this one... What was Jisung's purpose in this one?

Knowledge and wisdom always came in handy when he needed it. It hadn’t failed him when he was in the first grade, reading warnings that could have potentially ended his life and avoiding them. It didn’t fail him when he was in high school, taking the college entrance exams and getting into one of Korea’s three prestigious schools, all without the influence of parents. And it didn’t fail him now, as he took the exam and finished with so much time that he had been able to check, double-check, and triple-check his answers before it was time to hand it in.

Today marked the first time they spent the day away from each other in what felt like years. Though in truth, it had only been a little less than a month. It had been one _zeydyr_ , he thought Seungmin would say. If only he were here now. Jisung admitted to himself that he missed him. How could he not? In the duration of his stay, he had wriggled his way into every inch of Jisung’s life until everything Jisung did was _with_ him and _for_ them. In the short span of one _zeydyr_ , he had become Jisung’s best friend.

What would happen when he must leave? How would he react when Seungmin had to go? How would Jisung feel?

He figured probably something like this but amplified a thousandfold. Even before he had yet to depart, Jisung already missed him. In fact, he missed him so much that the person approaching him resembled Seungmin. It was in the way the boy walked, regal but inspective with his hands behind his back. In the way his skin reflected the sun exactly how Seungmin’s did. In the avian curve that his neck- Wait.

It _is_ Seungmin. Seungmin was dressed in Jisung’s clothes again, in a fluffy sweater and slim fitted jeans. His boots were thick and made a soft thump with every step. Perched on his head was a thick beanie that hid his slightly-larger-than-human head-shape. What the shit?

“What are you doing here?” Jisung whispered as soon as Seungmin was an arm’s length away, pulling Seungmin by the shoulder and to a secluded area of the campus quad. “I thought you were going to Machu Picchu?”

“I did. However, in my short time there, I experienced a very unpleasant emotion,” Seungmin said thinly before giving him a grin that would give The Joker a run for his money. “And your presence does a wonderful job of chasing away such feelings.”

If Seungmin was saying what Jisung thought he was saying, then it was a mutual feeling.

“In case you have failed to notice, the short hand has reached 3 and the long hand has passed 12. It is past your testing time.” Jisung looked down and noted that Seungmin was correct. “Since that is the case, will you not explore the world with me?”

The question made Jisung blink. Had Seungmin been any ol' human, the promise of that question would have been a romantic date. As such, Seungmin is not tellurian, and this was not a date. Do aliens even partake in courtship? Jisung clutched at his elbow tightly. And when he forgot to answer, Seungmin brought forward the hands behind his back. Clasped in his long, slender fingers was a bunch of flowers. They resembled the ones that decorated the front gate of the university.

“Are these blossoms from the gate?”

“Yes, these were plucked from where they bloomed by the entrance,” Seungmin affirmed, rubbing nervously at his own hands once Jisung received the flowers from him. “I had planned something different, but there were unforeseen circumstances.”

Jisung cradled the blossoms close to his person. “Can I ask what you planned instead?”

“You see, I was searching for answers to a personal concern of mine. I was fortunate enough to discover a page in the worldwide interweb that dealt exactly with my apprehensions,” Seungmin began. With a huff, he awkwardly placed a hand on Jisung’s shoulder. What was going on? “It was in my intention to purchase for you a bunch of chocolates. If my knowledge serves me correctly, you have a particular affinity to sweet foodstuffs. However, when I entered a shop that sold them and attempted to trade for it my rare metals, they chased me out.”

Jisung laughed and stepped closer. That was actually so adorable. Just the fact that Seungmin remembered that Jisung had the sweet tooth of a five-year-old made him feel giddy. “So let me get this straight. You tried to buy chocolates with your rare metals?"

“Precisely." Seungmin had sounded proud.

"They probably thought you were on some shit and threw you out the door," Jisung chuckled. That still didn't explain why he gave Jisung flowers instead. And why he wanted to give Jisung a gift in the first place. "So you still wanted to get me something? And you thought plucking the flowers from the entrance were a better substitute?”

"I did not realize your currency was common metals and pieces of paper. Though if I had known... It matters not. I had failed to acquire your precious sweets and resorted to meeting you empty-handed. Fortuitously, I passed these vivid blossoms on my way to you. Are they to your liking?”

“They’re perfect,” Jisung admitted, overcome with the desire to sway back and forth. He would probably float away if Seungmin's hand wasn't on his shoulder. “Can we get out of here?”

Seungmin glanced at him briefly before opening his arms.

“If that is what you wish.”

･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ☆★☆ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Surrounding them in all directions was a dark, cerulean blue. Beneath their feet was the heat emanating from the sand below. Just as the clouds rolled in the sky, waves from this ocean lapped at the edges of the island. The island itself was tiny, the tip that poked through the body of water no larger than the land area of Jisung’s residence. Winds here were powerful, whipping their clothes in their direction.

“What are we doing here?” Jisung inquired, now used to the familiar sensation of teleporting. “Where are we?”

“I picked a location where interruption is minimal,” Seungmin declared, arms still wound around Jisung. “The most disruption we will receive would be the forceful wind and the cawing of the occasional albatross journeying over the great Pacific Ocean.”

Why here? There were so many private places they could have gone where disruption would be nearly zero. Why the Pacific Ocean? Seungmin must have another reason.

“It’s really big isn’t it?” Jisung observed. Despite its name, the Pacific is not truly calm or peaceful. It is the largest and the deepest body of water in the whole world. Jisung could see it too, at how nothing but its vastness was in sight, its darkness a warning of its depth. In it probably lived millions of organisms, impossibly tiny, trivial. 

“There’s so little ground charted, so much left to discover. It really brings into perspective how insignificant we are, how insignificant I am -- a small person, in the middle of a vast body of water, held by the gravity of a small Earth, orbiting a medium-sized star, located in one of the billions of galaxies.”

“You are wrong,” Seungmin shook his head, his black eyes tracing the lines of Jisung’s face. "You are not insignificant. Have you an idea why I brought you here?”

Jisung shrugged. “No?”

Seungmin caressed Jisung’s cheek, his hands now holding Jisung tenderly. “I have brought us here so that you may understand our size in comparison to it, it in comparison to your planet, your planet in comparison to your star and so forth. Truly, we are small. We are tinier than a speck of a speck in the space-time continuum. We are infinitesimal, but we are not insignificant. There exists a whole universe of difference between its meanings. And just as you mentioned, there still exists an unthinkable amount of uncharted territory.”

“Why are you telling me this? Why are you doing all this? Cooking, giving me flowers. Why?” Dread suddenly filled Jisung. Was Seungmin leaving? No, no, no. Jisung was not ready yet.

Seungmin’s eyes flicked down toward Jisung’s lips. “Is it not customary for humans to court someone they have undeniable feelings for?”

“C-Court?” Jisung stuttered. Undeniable feelings? “You have feelings for me?”

“Yes. And irrevocably, yes.”

Jisung could barely breathe. He felt dizzy again, the way his mind spun that first night they met. The nausea had little to do with the thickness of the atmosphere and all to do with the gravity of the moment. “Why me?”

“You fit my criteria for a life partner.”

A life partner. Jisung’s future suddenly flashed before his eyes. Adventures in The Five Galaxies. Expeditions to the neighboring sector. Studying the different life forms that exist in planets of similar conditions. All beside his partner for life.

“And what is this criteria?” Jisung wiggled his eyebrows.

“The first bullet is emotive facial features,” Seungmin said gently, wiping at Jisung’s cheeks.

Jisung leaned into Seungmin’s touch. “Ah, yes, you did mention this once.”

“As is observable to you, I have an incredibly difficult time physically showing my emotions. Yet here you are, able to change your whole demeanor with a quirk of a brow or a bite of a lip. You are beautiful with any expressions, did you know that?”

Aliens sure knew how to woo, Jisung thought as he hid his burning face into the crook of Seungmin’s neck.

“Now you’re just being unfair,” Jisung muffled into Seungmin, eliciting a chortle from the extraterrestrial.

“The second is someone who has a particular love for the unknown,” Seungin explained. “An important life goal of mine is to educate myself about the other races in the other galaxies. And I cannot be with someone who possesses a fear-of-the-unknown mindset.”

“No fear-of-the-unknown mindset from me,” Jisung repeated, resurfacing. “I’m still here, aren’t I?”

“That goes hand-in-hand with someone whose actions are driven by curiosity. For how else would we be able to learn about the different galaxies if one showed not a sign of curiosity?”

“Is that why you asked that one time?” Jisung smirked, remembering that question all those days ago. It had been an eternity since then. “My answer is still the same. I’ve always thirsted for knowledge, and that always stemmed from curiosity.”

Seungmin nodded. “And last is someone who exhibits a special type of kindness and possesses an infinite amount of love to give.”

Now this one was a topic they hadn’t yet breached before.

“How do you know that’s me?” Jisung challenged. “We've known each other for like a month. How do you know I got love to give?"

Seungmin shook his head. “This single criterion was the one I was most certain you fulfilled. Each and every day, you checked it off in the little things you do for me. You have already displayed it this whole time. And due to a cumulation of all that and your strange tellurian customs, I have discovered myself imagining the two of us wandering The Milky Way and Large Magellanic Cloud. Faring through the Canis Major Dwarf and Virgo Stellar Stream. Traveling across the Sagittarius Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy. I cannot stop envisioning us exploring The Five Galaxies."

Jisung found it hard to swallow.

"I hold you in deep regard, Earthling." Seungmin closed his eyes and rested his head on Jisung. The shiver that ran through him was welcome, if they can feel this connected every day. "Han Jisung, citizen of Korea, inhabitant of Earth and resident of the Fifth Galaxy, SBC 58+ G 552. My Earthling, will you explore the universe with me?”

Jisung’s eyes flickered at Seungmin’s lips. Only once had his life been as climactic as this. It was not when his parents threw him a gigantic 10th birthday party, used primarily for their business dealings. Not when he opened his letter of acceptance to all the top three universities in the country. Not until the night where Seungmin emerged in Jisung's kitchen, amidst the whirs and pressure and heat, all due to a Mathematical mistake. A one-in-a-billion probability. One Jisung in a billion, in all forms of reality, meeting his life partner.

It was here that he thought again of his previous question. What was his purpose? He figured it could be the pursuit of knowledge. It could be to study the stars after he received his Astrophysics diploma. But that was all too easy, a single-track mind, too one dimensional. Jisung wasn't that. Human beings weren't that. They were too multidimensional for such mediocrity. His purpose? His purpose was whatever he wanted it to be. After all, who said a person can only have one?

His purpose, perhaps, was to leave his solar system. His purpose could be to travel The Five Galaxies with Seungmin. His purpose could be to study the stars face-to-face and not from a giant screen thousands of light-years away. The possibilities were infinite.

“I would love to explore the universe with you.”

The kiss was chaste, unhurried even under the strength of the wind. Waves rolled in and out, providing a slow tempo they could follow as they stayed locked with their lips. Jisung did not know how stardust tasted, but he was certain it was as sweet as this. When their mouths finished the chase, they did not pull from the embrace. Though their lips had withdrawn, their foreheads refused to separate. This was surreal.

Jisung felt so much that he wasn't sure he could handle more. Instead, to water down the enormity of the moment, Jisung broached a topic that they had ignored ever since the night they first met.

"So tell me again why this isn't a sign for _I come in peace_?" Jisung asked cheekily, giving him the Vulcan salute.

Seungmin snorted.

"In the Vulcan Gesture, these are connected to symbolize physical intimacy," Seungmin motioned at Jisung's pinky and ring finger before pointing at his index and middle finger. "And these represent sexual intercourse."

"And this?" Jisung wiggled his thumb. "What does this mean?"

"It being the lone appendage represents that you are searching for another to engage with you in these actions," Seungmin explained. It was here that he mirrored the gesture and gently positioned it right against Jisung's so that they were palm-to-palm. "And if another were to do this such that your lone appendages are in contact with each other, it implies that both parties are consenting to partake in such endeavors."

Jisung tilted his head up at Seungmin and gave him the gummiest smile. "That's good to know."

Seungmin, for his sake, appeared to be shy. Jisung found it too adorable. And as if to change the subject, Seungmin snaked his arms around Jisung and leaned close to him once more.

“May I present to you the roundest, shiniest pebble I own?” Seungmin’s breathing was heavy on Jisung's lips. "It is out there, just in the outskirts of this planet, invisible and barely hanging onto a thread of Earth's gravity."

Was Seungmin talking about his spaceship? Was Jisung finally about to enter one? Jisung had lost his voice, so beyond thrilled that he could do nothing but nod.

"You are going to love LKNW-98, I am certain of it," Seungmin claimed, giving him a subdued smile as he tinkered with his wristwatch, some clicks and beeps coming from the gadget. Tightening his embrace on Jisung, Seungmin asked, “Are you prepared, my Earthling?”

Jisung’s answer was a quick peck on the lips before he secured himself onto Seungmin and tucked his head on the curve where Seungmin's jaw met his shoulder. And like before, a low whirring began to pulse around them, a crescendo of it, quickening to a supersonic screech. As constant as the speed of light, next came the impossible weight of being compressed followed by a concentration of heat blanketing their skin.

A few _zey_ of this intensity.

And then, nothing.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for finishing my fic. If you liked it, please don't hesitate to give kudos or provide a comment.
> 
> To the prompter, this work is my baby. This piece was _so fun_ to write! Really great prompt. I was smiling while writing this the whole time. I really hope you like it!
> 
> To the mod(s), thank you so much for your work! Without you, this fest would not be possible. So thank you to the moon and back!
> 
> Thank you, thank you, thank you!


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